Now the 46-year-old announced his intention to run for city council in the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 24.

“I know the system. I know the issues. I know what it means to be a city councillor. I’ve followed city council,” said Gabel. “I think it’s important for city councillors to identify different needs before the process begins.”

He said his main issues are core infrastructure and fiscal restraint. Gabel would like to see solutions to the infrastructure problems.

“I like to make the comparison of waiting for support from other levels of government being similar to buying a lottery ticket. You really need a back-up plan and I think I have a back-up plan,” said Gabel.

He said instead of asking for more money from other levels of government, council should identify the needs and allow administration to work on the capital budget. Gabel added without solid core infrastructure in place and a sustainable and viable program, the city will not be able to prosper and grow.

Other priorities in his platform include economic development, housing, low-income concerns and community engagement.

“I think community engagement is the direction most of the other issues in the city need to follow,” said Gabel. “I think the community itself has to be engaged … mostly because there’s no money for it until we deal with the infrastructure.”

Gabel moved to Moose Jaw with his family when he was 11 years old when his parents chose to retire from the military in Moose Jaw. He is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan and although he has worked a variety of jobs in different cities, he said he always winds up back in Moose Jaw.

Gabel has attended city council meetings in the gallery, budget deliberations and executive committee for the past six years. He has also worked with city coucillors on the many committees he has served on.

For the past eight years, he has been on the municipal planning commission, the Board of Revision for the past six years, the economic development committee, the industrial development committee and the parks and recreation board. He has also served on the Moose Jaw Public Library board for the past five years and on the Palliser Regional Library board for the past four years. Gabel is currently the chairman of both library boards.

“I think I’ve got leadership skills and I’m willing to make the difficult decisions,” said Gabel. “I think just the fact that I’ve taken the time to prepare in the way that I did, in the approach that I took and the time I spent at city hall, makes me rather uniquely qualified.”